Transport minister orders audit of issue of drivers’ licences after spate of accidents

TRANSPORT Minister Joe Maswanganyi has appealed to motorists to be vigilant on the roads following a spate of fatal accidents that have claimed scores of lives across the country since the beginning of the month.

“It is saddening to note that the scourge of road carnages continues to rob families of their loved ones, their fathers, mothers, daughters and sons.

“Since these eventful moments, the life of these families will change for the worst and life will never be the same again,” said Maswanganyi.

In Mpumalanga, 18 people were killed and others injured on Tuesday after a bus and truck collided on R541
Machadodorp road.

TALKING TOUGH: Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi

The taxi was ferrying Nkomati Mine workers on their way to work. Five people also died in the Free State.

“Although investigations are still ongoing in the crashes reported, our reports generally indicate that human factor remain the major cause of the majority of road crashes in our country,” said Maswanganyi.

He has since instructed the Road Traffic Management Corporation to conclude its audit of how drivers licences including roadworthy certificates were issued at testing stations.

The minister said members of the public found to have obtained their drivers licenses illegally will be re-evaluated.

“South Africans, if you got your learners and driver license through dubious means know that you will soon lose it. It cannot be that people can escape with such impunity. Our people deserve the best and it is our duty to uproot these much-detested practices and get to the core of the causes of these carnages and fatalities,” said Maswanganyi.

In Limpopo, nine people were killed after a truck and a taxi collided on the R579 road between Lebowakgomo and Jane Furse last month in one of the deadliest crashes in the province since the beginning of this year.

In May this year, a drunk driver ploughed into a group of people, killing three in Moletjie village.

Speaking to African Times, provincial transport spokesperson Joshua Kwapa said that they were concerned about the increase in the number of drunk driving incidents.

“As the Department of Transport, we are concerned by all traffic violations which contribute to crashes which lead to serious injuries and fatalities,” Kwapa said

“Drunk driving remains one of the high contributing factors to fatalities on our roads and this is a grave concern to us. “That is why we frequently conduct law enforcement operations where we concentrate on drunk driving.”

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